Southern edge of Downtown West Palm Beach poised for redevelopment

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A number of redevelopment projects could surface on the Southern side of Downtown West Palm Beach.

The old tent site squeezed in between Okeechobee Boulevard near Dixie could become a medical complex if developers get their way.

According to West Palm Beach spokesman Elliot Cohen, the plans are preliminary and will be presented to the City Commission on Monday.

The city owns that piece of property.

"The southern edge of our downtown is poised for a lot of redevelopment," Cohen said.

The Convention Center hotel, plans for an office building across the street, and the idea of a medical complex are all ongoing.

"Downtown was growing a lot until 2008 and then obviously the real estate market went down, but I think in the next few years we will see lots of development in the downtown area," neighbor Erdem Altinok said.

Many of the plans are still in the conceptual phases.

The convention center hotel has already broken ground.

One of the concerns in the Okeechobee area is walkability.

Some pedestrians complain it is difficult to cross the busy roads in that area.

"One of the main components of the walkability study that was done is changing Okeechobee boulevard right around that area, putting in more trees, making it more pedestrian friendly, and narrowing travel lanes," Cohen said.

The commission has still not seen the medical complex plans. Two developers will make presentations to the commission on Monday.